Logging in and out
- Mojib Javadi
- Jonathan Gane
This article describes how to activate your user account, set up two-factor authentication, and log in and out of Portal.
When using the Pilot web portal, popular browsers like Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, and Apple Safari are supported. Some older browser versions as well as Internet Explorer may not be supported.
Pilot requires two-factor authentication (2FA), which adds an extra layer of security in addition to your password to reduce the risk of unauthorized access to your account. 2FA requires a mobile device such as a phone or tablet with a One-Time Password (OTP) app installed. The OTP app generates a unique, time-sensitive code linked to your mobile device that you enter along with your password each time you log into the Portal.
Instructions
Activating your account
User accounts are created by invitation from a Project Administrator or a Platform Administrator with whom you have an existing business association. After obtaining a user account, you can log into Pilot from the portal. It’s also possible to log in from the Pilot command line interface using your account or an API key. These instructions are provided elsewhere in this guide.
If you haven’t used your institution’s installation of Pilot before, you’ll receive an email containing an invitation link to create your user account. Remember to check your junk or spam folder if you don’t find an expected invitation in your inbox.
Click the invitation link or copy and paste the link into a supported browser to initiate your account registration. You will be asked to provide the following information (your personal information is collected in accordance with the Privacy Policy):
First and Last name
Username (if the username has been taken by another user, you’ll be prompted to select a different one)
A strong password: must contain at least one of each of the following: upper case letter (A-Z), lower case letter (a-z), number 0-9, special character
_ ! % & / ( ) = ? * + # , . ;
Click Register.
Your account is now active and you’ll receive another confirmation email. You can visit the portal using the link in the email to launch the login page.
Password best practices:
Avoid using first names, family names, usernames and passwords that have been previously compromised, either alone or as part of the password.
Change your password immediately upon confirmation or reasonable suspicion that it has been compromised.
Keep your password secure and don’t share it with anyone else.
Follow any additional password requirements of your local institution.
First login and setting up 2-step verification
After activating your account, go to the Portal login page (find the link in your account activation email) and click Login. The Mobile Authenticator Setup window is displayed.
On your mobile device, install a One-Time Password (OTP) Apps which can be downloaded for free in your device’s App store: e.g., Google Authenticator, Microsoft Authenticator, FreeOTP.
From your mobile device, open the OTP App and click the Add button to add an account. Use your device’s camera to scan the bar code provided on the Mobile Authenticator Setup window in the Portal.
The App will display a new account with a time-limited OTP Token (six digit code). Enter the code in the Mobile Authenticator Setup window, and add a Device Name to help you to keep track of your devices, and complete the authentication.
Note: do not add spaces when entering the six digit code, otherwise an error “Invalid authenticator code” is returned.
After device setup, the Recovery Authentication modal will appear and contain ten recovery codes.
Copy all of the recovery codes and save them on a device separate from the one you are using for Mobile Authentication. If you ever lose your authentication device, you can use these codes to gain access to your account.
Click the box beside “I have saved the codes somewhere safe” and click OK to navigate to the Portal.
The final step is to review and accept the Pilot Terms of Use. Acceptance is mandatory before you can use Pilot. Click Accept to continue.
The Pilot portal opens and you can begin to explore the platform.
Subsequent Portal Logins
After setting up 2FA for the first time, you’ll be prompted to enter the One-Time Password from your OTP authenticator app every time you log into the Portal.
If you have lost access to the device you used for 2FA, you can use one of the recovery codes saved during 2FA setup. See Recovering your Account for more information.
Logging into the Pilot Command Line Interface (pilotcli)
With the Pilot Command Line Interface (pilotcli) installed on your local environment or in a workspace terminal (Jupyterhub or Guacamole-connected virtual machine), you can to log into Pilot and access your Project data using your username and password or an API key. When using your username and password, you’ll be directed to 2-factor authentication using using a QR code or validation link provided in the Pilot Command Line Interface. For more information on how to log into Pilot using the Pilot Command Line Interface (pilotcli), see Working with Project Files in the Command Line Interface . For information on how to use API keys, see Using an API Key.
Logging Out
To log out of your session manually, click your username in the top right of the page and select Logout.
Idle sessions are logged out for added security. After 30 minutes of inactivity, a warning reminds you that your session is about to expire. If no further action is performed after the warning, your session will be logged out automatically.